Chalk one for Hollywood principals

Industry players go back to school

In Hollywood, many actors, writers and producers hope for a thumbs up from Col Pictures prexy Amy Pascal. But on Friday, the most she’s likely to give out is a hall pass.

That’s because Pascal is one of 200 showbiz and community leaders participating in the Principal for a Day program through the L.A. Unified School District. One of the hosts of Friday’s event is the Entertainment Industry Foundation, whose campaign chairwoman Whoopi Goldberg explained, “We hope it will help to build new bridges between our industry and public education.”

Among showbiz members who’ll learn about public-school problems are John Cooke, Pauly Shore, Vin Diesel, David O’Connor, Stacey Sher and Steve Stabler; biz and community leaders will include L.A. District Attorney Gil Garcetti, Wallis Annenberg and UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale.

The “principals” will be assigned to schools in L.A. and will spend the day taking attendance, meeting with students and teachers, and becoming hands-on in the daily operations of a public school.

Peggy Funkhouser, prexy of L.A. Educational Partnership (another host of the event) said the goal is “to engage the members of the entertainment industry in a learning experience” that will boost support for public education.

It’s a worthy cause. Plus, you gotta love any event that brings Garcetti and Shore together.